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Right, let’s try this again. Samsung has started sending out a software update for one of its handsets here in the UK, less than a month after it stopped the rollout, the BBC reports. The update brings Android 4.3 Jelly Bean to the Samsung Galaxy S3.
The initial update was an unmitigated disaster, with customers complaining that their phones would freeze, and the battery drained far quicker than usual. Samsung also apologised for the earlier faulty update.
A Samsung spokesperson told me: “The Galaxy S III 4.3 Jelly Bean upgrade service has begun to resume and its availability will gradually expand. Specific upgrade schedules will vary by region and mobile operator. We remain committed to providing customers with the best possible mobile experience.”
So hit update, and hopefully you’ll be one of these users.
The initial update rolled out on 4 November, which was a few days after Google announced the next version of Android, 4.4 KitKat. This is one of Android’s main weaknesses: with so many different screen sizes and ‘skinned’ versions of it, not to mention the networks, updates take an age to find their way onto mobiles. Older models — like the Galaxy S3, which has been superseded by the S4 — also tend to get left till last. Your best bet is to go for a phone that runs stock Android, like the Nexus 4 or Nexus 5. Then you’re guaranteed to be one of the first in line for the latest software updates.
Has your S3 got the update? Does it work without a hitch? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.
Update: Quote from a spokesperson for Samsung added.
